Fears that up to 100 National Rugby League players "could be lost to the game due to a reduction in squad sizes" have been allayed by an "NRL proposal to keep the top-30 system." However, "it will come at a cost as players brace for a pay cut" of about 10% next year. The NRL outlined its contracting blueprint for '21 to the 16 club CEOs on Wednesday. It was widely expected that the current top-30 system for each team "could be reduced by as many as five spots to save costs in response to the coronavirus outbreak." However, the NRL has "opted not to change the system."
The base salary cap is currently A$9.5M ($6.9M), which "rises slightly" when allowances are factored in. However, the players will share in a reduction of almost $1M ($730,000)-per-team to ensure jobs are not cut (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 9/9).
Meanwhile, NRL clubs and players "are bracing to be in biosecurity bubbles until at least the middle of next year" after the game’s expert adviser on COVID-19, David Heslop, warned that it "may be that long before a vaccine is made available to the public." The news could also have repercussions for both the Warriors and Melbourne Storm, "who have been forced to relocate" to NSW’s Central Coast and Queensland’s Sunshine Coast due to the impact of COVID-19 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/9).
